Strong earthquakes strike Cuba, causing damage and landslides

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A pair of strong earthquakes has struck off the southern coast of Cuba, inflicting damage and causing landslides.

The first 5.9-magnitude temblor struck at about 10:50 a.m. Sunday local time, followed an hour later by the larger 6.8-magnitude quake, according to data from the United States Geological Survey.

Both struck off the southern coast of Bartolome Maso, with the first one hitting about 22 miles from the city and ther second 25 miles, the U.S. monitor said, adding both struck at a depth of more than 8 1/2 miles.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba said on X that homes and powerlines were damaged by the quakes, which have also caused landslides.

"We are beginning to assess the damage in order to begin recovery. The first and most important thing is to save lives," he said.

Enrique Diego Arango Arias, chief of the National Seismological Service of Cuba, known as CENAIS, said online that the municipality of Pilon, located in Granma Province, suffered "a lot of damage."

The earthquakes hit after Category 3 Hurricane Rafael tore through the island nation, leaving major destruction in its wake.